What kind of user are you?
Just as you shouldn't spend a pretty penny on a fancy Italian sports car if what you really need is a car to haul the kids to and fro, it's impractical to spring for broadband if you're online only once or twice a week. But, despite its disadvantages, some folks should definitely seek out an affordable high-speed Net connection. To avoid making an expensive blunder or settling for service that doesn't match your style, take a personal inventory.

File-ophiles. If you live to swap MP3s or download streaming video, you'll appreciate the faster file transfers that broadband provides. The same goes for those who regularly send e-mail with attachments. Upload speeds are generally slower for broadband, usually around 128Kbps, but still faster than dial-up.

Total, like, surfers, dude. Do you spend all day, every day on the Web? A broadband connection will save you hours of time each week. That goes double for people such as gamers and day traders who need to interact in real time.

Once-a-weekers. You spend most of your life offline, but you want to reach your far-flung family members and long-lost buddies every now and then. If you don't plan to spend hours upon hours surfing, dial-up is the way to go.

Hosts with the most. If your business hosts its own Web site--or if you just host your own hobby site--you'll want a fast connection for incoming surfers. If you're continually transferring files to and from a Web site hosted elsewhere, you'll appreciate the speed broadband offers.

Networkers. If you're planning to share a Net connection, you'll want as fat a pipe as possible. Invest in broadband. Just be sure to check with your provider first; it may have limits on how many people can share one connection.

Cost-cutters. Bills piling up? Broadband is twice as expensive as dial-up, so if you're clipping coupons, go dial-up. You'll still be able to hawk your wares on eBay, though the site will take a little longer to load.

I admit it: I'm a file-ophile. Now what?